Respirator



R. WAT ANABE.

RESPIRATOR. 7 APPLICATION FILED MAY 8 I9l8. 1,331,601 Patented Feb. 24,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET R. WATANABE.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

( h wan foz UNITED sra'rns PATENT orrron.

nrrcnr WA'IANABE, or TOKYO, JAPAN.

RESPIRATOR. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RIIGHI 'WATANABE, a subject of theEmperor of Japan, and a resident of No. 11 Nakano-Cho, AZabu-Ku,

city of Tokyo, Empire of Japan, merchant,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Respirators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in respirators for use in deep water, or in the upper air, by divers, aviators, and the like, and comprises a casing forming an air chamber adapted to fit over and cover the face of the user between the eye brows and the upper lip so that the user may be able to inhale the air admitted into the said air chamber through his nose and to exhale from the mouth.

Another object is to provide a respirator which is efficient and safe without giving any difficulty to the diver when working at a considerable depth of water, or to the aviator operating at a height where the air is considerably rarefied.

Another object is to provide a respirator which is efiicient for preventing the waste of oxygen when the same is used as an inhaler in the administration of oxygen as in' a certain class of medical treatment; and finally to provide a respirator which will serve as a safe guard against poisonous gases, smokes, and the like.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved respirator having an air admitting valve mounted by a supporting lever which governs the position of the valve and which also serves as an inlet pipe of air into the air chamber.

Fig. 2 is a plan view or modification of the air valve.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the invention showing a further modification of the air valve.

Fig. 4; is a side elevation as applied to the diver carrying on his back and waist the main and secondary air reservoir respectively.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view, through the mask, valve and valve casing, and showing the levers which control said valve.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates an inclosed casing made of rubber or other elastic material and which is preferably elliptical in cross section and has a front transparent closed door 2 and Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed May 8, 1.918.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Serial No. 233,262.

strengthening metal 4: and at four different points, as at 6, are suitable rings to which the ends of elastic bands 7, which are preferably of rubber pipe, are attached, the central portions of such bands being provided with suitable fastening members here shown as a hook 8 and eye 8 adapted to engage each other at the back of the head and thus cause said elastic band to hold the air cham ber casing tightly and firmly on the face to cover the eye-brows and nose, and to ex pose the mouth as shown in Fig. 4:.

' The air is supplied to the chamber 5 by means of a hose 10 and a tubular valve casing 11, the said hose '10 leading from an appropriate source, preferably a bag or reservoir 21 carried upon the mans back in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

The air inlet valve may be of any suitable form. As shown in Fig. 1, the valve member 9 has a depending rod 18 which is provided at its lower end with a presser member 12. The tubular valve casing 11 has a fixed arm 11 extending rearwardly therefrom and to which is pivoted a valve operating member 25 Said member has an arm 26 and also has a bent arm 25 which engages the presser member 12 of the valve rod. The arms 11, 26, enter the mouth of the user. A suitable resilient member 28 is arranged between the presser member 12 and the valve casing or tube 11 and is preferably arranged around the lower end of the valve rod 13 and is here shown as a rubber sleeve. An adjusting screw 14 is mounted on the casing 11 and serves to limit the extent of movement of the valve member 9. The user by biting on the arms 11 and 26 may move the former toward the latter and thereby partly turn the member 25 on its pivot and in so doing cause the arm 25 to move the rod 13 upwardly and thereby raise the valve member 9 from its seat, and hence cause compressed air to pass from the reservoir 21 to the air chamber 5.

at the other end.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 the presser'1nember'120f the valve '9 is operated by a connecting rod 17. An inflatable nipple 27, of rubber Or othersuitor casing 1 on the face of'the user.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the air inlet valve 9 is arranged at one side of the casing l and the presser member 12 1s manually operable. V

In carrying the lnventlon into practice, a

bag or tank 21 of any suitable size and form adapted to be carriedu on the operatorTs back is filled with air su 'ciently compressed sothat the same may be utilized to serve as a main reservoir for drawing therefrom the air into the secondary. reservoir23 likewise carried by the operator around the waist in addition to the one carried by him on his back, from which latter reservoir the air fiows into the chamber 5 through the pipelO, a suitable reducing valve operable through a hand operating handle bein pro- 'vided forthepurpose asshown at 24,- fiig. 4-.

Thus it will be seen'that by providing'the secondary reservoir 23 and thereby varying the pressure within the main reservoir 21 to suit the surrounding pressure the operator is ena bled'to go to a greaterdepth of water, than wouldbepossible without said secondary reservoir.

' "In the form ofthe invention shown in said valve.

Fig. 1, the pipe 18 which leads from the valve casing ll to the casing 1 has an elbow 19 which is adjustably connected to said asing'l, the opposite end of said pipe 18 being connected by a union 19 to a tubular v.arm 11 which projects from one sidelof said comprising amask to fit on the-face of the user, compressed air supplying means, connection including a valverbetween said mask and said compressed air supply means, and mouth operated actuatingmeans for 2. A respirator of the class described, comprising a mask to fit on theface of the user, compressed ,air supply means, a connection including a valve between said ,mask andsaid compressed air supplymeans, and mouth operated actuating means for said valve and comprising a relatively fixed arm and a relatively movable arm to enter the mouth of the user. I 7

3. In a respirator of the class described, a mask to fit on the face of the .user, a compressed air supply means,.a valve casing arranged exteriorly of'sai'd mask and connected to said mask and to said compressed air supplymeans, a controlling valve in said valve casing,m0uth operated means'to actuate said contro'lling valve, said valve casing and said valve actuating means being adjustable with respect to the mask; 7

i r In testimony whereof I'aflix my signature in presence or two witnesses.

'RIIOH'I WATANABE.

Witnesses: v i

HARVEY F. OLTMAns,

' j v YASUMARA. 

